CENTRAL — Tourism experts Tripp Muldrow and Bob Brookover told Central officials Monday night that placing a greater emphasis on the town’s railroad heritage is one way to bring more visitors into the town as well as the surrounding areas.

During a presentation held prior to the regularly scheduled Central Town Council meeting, the tourism officials said the recently completed railroad museum and revival of the Heritage Festival are tools that could be used. Bobby Ballentine, president of the Central Area Business Council, said the town’s railroad heritage is unique.

“Others can talk about the railroad, but Central’s railroad sets it apart,” Ballentine said.

Central Mayor Mac Martin said he feels that signage and a theme are two possible ways of enhancing the emphasis on the town’s railroad heritage.

“We have a unique claim to that brand,” Martin said.

In April, Muldrow and Brookover appeared before Town Council to present preliminary findings of a tourism study. The pair said the study showed full and limited service restaurants as well as health care and pharmacy could be successful in the town. They added that one in every four customers that shopped in Central was a non-student Central citizen and that Central, Clemson University and Liberty comprised more than half of the overall customer base.

The $12,000 study was made possible through $4,000 in grant money from the state Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Management office, $4,000 from the South Carolina Heritage Corridor and $4,000 from the town itself. Late last month, the pair returned to Central to establish a timeline for implementing various tourism enhancement strategies.

In addition to the railroad theme, the pair last month and again Monday night said Central should also promote itself as a college town due to the location of Southern Wesleyan University (SWU).

“There are numerous things that SWU brings to the Central community, and this is one that both should capitalize on,” Ballentine said, citing the presence of SWU President David Spittal in the audience and his participation in the study as evidence of the university’s commitment.

Ballentine said he also agrees with the mindset of regional tourism that was also discussed in May. Like Muldrow and Brookover, Ballentine feels that various tourism venues should adopt regular operating hours.

“To advertise these venues and then say hours by appointment does not work,” he said. “We need to establish regular hours and then advertise and post them.”

Now that the study is complete, Martin and Ballentine say the next step is to take the findings before the Central Area Business Council and Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce to determine the next step and develop specific goals. Eventually, those goals will be presented to the full Town Council.

“We want to take this presentation and develop it into a multi-year plan to redevelop our business community and help redevelop some of the older business locations,” Martin said.

Ballentine, who called the study “significant” and one that “very few small towns like Central can acquire,” said the biggest challenge is to ensure the business community, Central residents and town officials realize the importance of the study and potential that tourism and retail marketing brings.

“I believe the key to moving forward will be to develop a partnership between the mayor, Town Council and the business community,” Ballentine said. “In my opinion, nothing can or will happen unless that takes place. The study laid out a great plan that can be accomplished with the leadership and commitment of all parties.”